The third annual Palmer Theological Seminary Science and Religion Symposium is in the books, and what a wonderful event it was. 110 people gathered together both in the Warner Library Atrium and on Zoom for an invigorating, challenging, and practical conversation about the promises and dangers of Artificial Intelligence. The emergence of publicly available generative AI has taken this conversation from the halls of computer science departments to every corner of our lives. We could have spent a week discussing the technical, societal, and spiritual implications of these emerging technologies, and it is our hope that these conversations inspired you to do your own research and continue the dialogue in your various settings.
We began the Symposium with a panel discussion, led by Dr. Greg Longo, Rev. Dr. Andre Price, and Professor Amy Huddell. It is important to us that each symposium begins with a panel composed of Palmer and Eastern faculty and/or alumni to demonstrate the fact that we, as an institution, are committed to the dialogue between science and religion. This is not just a once-a-year event, but rather a day in which we publicly demonstrate the kind of dialogue that we are having on a daily basis. After an opening question to each panelist, we opened up the floor to questions from the audience, and we let the conversation flow naturally. An academic discussion of machine learning algorithms provoked questions about fairness which dovetailed into economics, social justice, academic integrity, spirituality, playing God, and raising children. Our panelists approached each question from their own unique position of expertise, and their collective wisdom was both academic and practical.
After a break, we welcomed the Rev. Dr. Erin Raffety who shared her recently concluded study on how AI in video games can create sacred spaces for people with disabilities and neurodivergent people. She challenged us to think about the ways that technology can create real community and the many lessons that the Church can learn when neurodiverse people are given a platform on which to thrive. We were challenged to rethink the structure of the Church itself, and interrogated the ways that artificial intelligence might help us to more faithfully transcend our embedded prejudices and entrenched worldviews. Many in the audience had never played Minecraft, let alone considered how it might be a tool for church revitalization!
As a proud graduate of Palmer Seminary, class of '13, I can personally attest to this institution's unwavering dedication to achieving the perfect balance between academic excellence and practical ministerial training. That is a balance which I hope we achieved at this Symposium as well. Artificial Intelligence is advancing faster than ever, and it is my hope that faithful followers of Christ can serve as moral guides, helping the general public to use this technology for the betterment of all humanity. Thank you for your active participation in this conversation, and I pray that it would serve as a catalyst for many future discussions as well.
I am so incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication that went into making this event possible, and wanted to say another special “thank you” to Dean Johnson, Dr. Deb Winters, Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard, Dr. Rebecca Hays, and Corey Brown MTS ‘23, for their leadership, support, and dedication. The people who work behind the scenes at Palmer and Eastern are first class professionals, and made this symposium the success that it was. Thank you to everyone who attended the Symposium. We have read your feedback, and are making plans for another great event in 2024.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Zack Jackson, MDiv '13
About the Author
Rev. Zack Jackson, MDiv '13, is Director of the Palmer Seminary Science & Religion Symposium.